Refrigerator



July 10, 1962 L. T. FULLER 3,043,116

REFRIGERATOR Filed July 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r i I 4 4 11 7'7 J 2 W4; f? I m" i INVENTOR. L s re' rfafn- ATTORN Ers;

July 10, 1962 T. FULLER 3,043,116

REFRIGERATOR Filed July 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR.

' A'TTORN EYS:

3,043,116 Patented July 10, 1952 3,043,116 REFRIGERATOR Leslie T.Fuller, Rte. 1, Hermleigh, Tex. Filed July 26, 1961, Ser. No. 126,934 1Claim. (Cl. 62-244) The present invention relates to a refrigerator, andmore particularly to a refrigerator for use with a vehicle such as anautomobile.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator whichconsists of a unit that is adapted to be arranged in a convenientlocation such as in an automobile or other vehicle whereby cool air thatis generated by a vehicle air conditioner can be used for maintainingthe interior of the refrigerator of the present invention at a desiredcool temperature in order to permit various types of articles such asfoodstuffs, beverages or the like to be maintained cool until the sameare to be consumed or utilized.

Another object is to provide a refrigerator for a car, truck or thelike, and wherein the refrigerator is adapted to be used in conjunctionwith a conventional vehicle air conditioner, the refrigerator includinga flexible tube or duct that is adapted to be connected to any source ofsupply of cool air such as the vehicle air conditioner whereby the coolair can be conveyed to the interior of the refrigerator or housing sothat foods, drinks or the like can be maintained at a desired lowtemperature, and wherein the present invention also includes adjustableleg assemblies which permit the unit to be readily supported or mountedin difierent locations such as in the front portion of a vehicle, andwherein there is provided louvers for insuring that the cold air flowingthrough the refrigerator will be directed into the desired or propermanner or direction.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in a device of the character described that iseconomical to produce, durable in form, and condusive to the mosteconomical use of materials and uniformity of members formed therefrom.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent in thesubsequent description in the specification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the refrigerator of the presentinvention, showing the movable section of the top in opened position.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE2.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the refrigerator of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view illustrating the refrigeratorpositioned on a vehicle or car floor and showing the humy of the carfloor relative to the leg assemblies and showing the relative positionof the parts such as the dash board of the vehicle.

FIGURE 6 is a view illustrating a modification and looking at theopposite end from that shown in FIGURE 5, and showing a different use ofthe refrigerator, as for example showing the refrigerator being usedoutdoors and showing the adjustable leg assemblies permit therefrigerator to be supported above irregular ground surfaces or thelike.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates arefrigerator which is shown to comprise a hollow housing that isindicated generally by the numeral 11, and the housing 11 includeshorizontally disposed spaced parallel top and bottom portions 9 and 12,and the housing 11 further includes vertically disposed spaced parallelside wall members 13 and 14' as well as spaced parallel verticallydisposed end or front and back wall members 15 and 16. The housing 11includes inner and outer spaced apart casings 17 and 18 which haveinsulation 19 therebetween, FIGURE 3. In FIGURE 3 the numeral 29indicates in broken lines an article being kept cool within the housing11, and the article 20 maybe a vacuum bottle or the like. Other articlessuch as the articles 21, 22 and 23 may be conveniently supported in thehousing 11 and such articles 21, 22 and 23 may consist of foodstuflis,beverages or the like.

As shown in the drawings the top portion 9 includes a horizontallydisposed stationary section 24- as well as a movable hingedly mountedsection 25, and the section 25 is hingedly supported as at 26, and thesection 25 is adapted to be latched or held in closed position as forexample by means of a catch or latch 27, FIGURE 3. The numeral 28indicates a generally rounded sleeve or rotary element which isrotatably connected to the movable section 25, and the upper portion ofthe sleeve 28 is inclined as indicated by the numeral 29, and aplurality of spaced parallel slats or louvers 30 are mounted in theupper inclined portion of the rotary element 28, for a purpose to belater described.

Connected to the stationary section 24 of the top portion 9 is a supportmember 31, and the support member 31 includes a lower portion 32 ofincreased diameter or size which has a filter 33 contiguous thereto sothat air entering the housing 11 will be cleaned and will have anyforeign matter removed therefrom before entering the housing. Thesupport member 31 further includes an upper end portion 33 of reduceddiameter, and the numeral 34 indicates a flexible tube or conduit whichis connected to the end portion 33, and the tube 34 is adapted to beconnected to a suitable source of supply of cold or cool air, and forexample the tube 34 can be connected to a conventional vehicle airconditioner whereby cool air can be conveyed from such an airconditioner and into the interior of the housing 11 in order to maintainthe articles 26, 21, 22 and 23 or the like in a desired cooledatmosphere or temperature.

A fan 35 may be arranged in the lower. portion of the support member 31,and the fan 35 is adapted to be driven by a motor 36 which is adapted tobe supported by means of a bracket 37, and the motor 36 may beelectrically connected to a suitable source of electrical energy such asthe vehicle battery by means of an electrical wire or conductor 38,FIGURE 4.

Certain of the wall members of the housing are adapted to be providedwith spaced apart inclined slots 39 which define louvered sections 40,and movable or adjustable doors or closures 41 are mounted for movementinto and out of opened and closed relation with respect to the slots orlouvered sections of the housing. The closure 41 is adapted to bemaintained in its proper aligned position by means of guide members 42,and a knob or handle 43 is provided for manually moving the closure 41.

The numerals 44 indicate horizontally disposed brackets or shelfsupports which are suitably afixed within the housing 11, and shelves ortrays 45 are adapted to be supported on the brackets 44, and the shelves45 are adapted to be made of reticulated or wire mesh material in orderto insure that the cool air can circulate therethrough with a minimumamount of interference.

The refrigerator of the present invention further includes a pluralityof independently adjustable leg assemblies which are each indicatedgenerally by the numeral 46, and each of the leg assemblies 46 include amounting member 47 that is secured to or formed integral with a lowercorner portion of the housing 11. The numeral 48 indicates a leg whichis adjustably connected to each mounting member 47, and the legs 48 arevertically disposed and the legs 48 may be held stationary in theiradjusted positions by means of screw members or set screws 49. Basepieces 50 are aflixed to the lower ends of the legs'48. In FIGURE therefrigerator is shown in position above the usual hump 51 of a vehiclefloor 52 which may form part of a conventional vehicle such as anautomobile 53, and the numeral 54 indicates the dashboard of thevehicle.

Referring to FIGURE 6 of 'the drawings there is illustrated amodification wherein the refrigerator is shown being used 'in adifierent environment, and as for example the refrigerator can be usedoutdoors by hunters, campers or the like, and the numeral 55 in FIGURE 6indicates a portion of a ground surface which may have an irregularcontour and due to the provision of the independently adjustable legassemblies 46, the refrigerator housing can be leveled by independentlyadjusting the legs to the proper height or length. The numeral 56indicates a door or panel which may be hingedly connected to the housingby means of a hinge, 58, and the panel 56 may be supported by holdingmembers such as chains 57 whereby various types of articles such as aglass 59 can be conveniently supported on the member 56 when'the member56 is in a horizontal position. When the member 56' is not being used orwhen it is not needed, it can be folded up to a vertical positioncontiguous 'to thehousing so'that the parts will occupy a minimum amountof space for storage or shipment.

In FIGURE 6 the flexible hose 34 may be omitted.

and the unit may be used for causing air to circulate through thehousing in a desired manner to permit the circulating air to helpmaintain the articles in the housing at a desired temperature orhumidity.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the movable top section 25 may be provided with ahand grip 60 which can be cons,0 .a,11e

veniently gripped as for example when the top section 25 is to be swungupwardly on its hinge 26' in order to permit access to the interior ofthe housing so that articles can be removed or replaced therein.

FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 4 show the refrigerator being supported on agenerally flat surface which is indicated by the numeral 61, and such afiat surface 61 may be a suitable part of a vehicle such as anautomobile floor or the like. As shown in'FIGURE 5 the adjustable legassemblies 46 permit the refrigerator to .be'used over irregularsurfaces such as'the. hump shaped portion 51 V of a vehicle floor 52.

It will be seen that with the'parts arranged as shown in the drawings,that various types of articles such as foodstuflfs, beverages, or thelike can be conveniently maintained at a desired cool temperature, andfor example the refrigerator 10 may be arranged in a suit-able part of avehicle such as an automobile, and the flexible tube 34 can be connectedto the outlet of a conventional vehicle air conditioner. Thus, cold airfrom the air conditioner will flow through the tube 34 and this air willbe filtered by the member 33-so that clean cool air will.

enter the interior of the housing 11 whereby articles such as thearticles 20, 21, 22' and 23 can be kept cool for a desired period oftime. The air will circulate through the housing and leave through theslots or openings such as the openings 39 and the air can also leavethrough the element 28. If desired, certain of the closures '41 can bemoved downwardly to closed position in order to close off one or moresets of the louvered sections tainers or the like can be supported invarious parts of the housing. The articles can be supported on theshelves which are adapted to be made of foraminous material in order topermit air to circulate therethrough so that the most efficientcirculation and cooling action can take place. The motor 36 is adaptedto be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy 'by means ofthe wires 38, and the motor 36 is adapted to rotate the fan 85 which-canbe used to facilitate the movement of air through the refrigerator.

The element 28 may be rotated so that the inclined portion 29 is at adesired angle so that for example maximum benefit can be taken of windblowing in a certain direction in. order to use such outside wind tomost efiiciently aid in outflow of air from the interior of the housing11. In certain instances the motor 36 and fan 35 may be omitted. Therefrigerator'may be supported on a flat surface such as the flat surface61 which may 'be part of a vehicle floor or the like. Or, therefrigerator can be supported over a vehicle raised portion or hump 51as shown in FIGURE 5, or else the unit may be used outdoors on irregularsurfaces such as the surface 55 which may be ground surface in thevicinity of a wooded area, lawn or the like. Due to the provision of theleg assemblies 46 which can each be adjusted independently of the other,the housing can be maintained level. To adjust the leg assemblies 46 itis only necessary to unloosen the member such as the screw member 49 andthe leg 48 can be moved to a desired position in order to cause the basepiece to engage a raised or lowered surface and then the screw member 49can then be tightened in order to maintain the legs 48 stationary intheir adjusted positions.

The arrangement shown'in FIGURE 6 is such that the flexible tube 34' canbe omitted so that cool air in the vicinity of a wooded area for examplecan be circulated through the interior of the housing to help mainsothat the air can be caused to circulate through different areas orportions of the refrigerator housing as desired or required. Also, theseclosures 41 may be moved to a partially open or partially closedposition in order to provide a further means for controlling the coolingin the refrigerator. Any suitable types of articles can be supported inthe refiigerator housing, and for example a vacuum bottle such as thevacuum bottle 20 containing beverages can be arranged inside thehousing, or else foodstuffs, beverages or the like in suitable containthe interior of the housing in a desired temperature or humidity. Or, anelongated flexible tube 34 can be used with the arrangement of FIGURE 6whereby cool air can be conveyed from a'remotely positioned airconditioner of a vehicle, household air conditioner or the like so thatwith the refrigerator positioned outdoors the articles therein canbekept cool. The top of the housing 11 can be used as a convenient supportfor various articles such as the vacuum bottle 20, as shown in FIG- URE6. p

While the present invention has been described specifically for use as arefrigerator, it is to be understood that the same can be used for otherpurposes, as for example the device can be used for maintaining articleswarm and in such use, the tube 34 can be connected to a suitable sourceof warm air such as a heater or the like as for example when the deviceis being used during winter months or during such times that it isdesired to maintain various articles in a heated or warmed conditron. e

The device is adapted to be made compact and of a rugged construction sothat it can be conveniently used and transported in -a vehicle or thelike, and any suitable material can be used for fabricating the variousparts, and such parts can be made in diiferent shapes or contours orsizes as desired or required. I

Due to the provision of the rotary element 28 with the louver-s30'the'rein and the inclined upper section or portion 29,-the element 28can be rotated or positioned at a desired location whereby the air canbe directed outwardly in any direction desired after it has passedthrough the box or housing. The section 25 may be raised in order tofacilitate the removal or replacement of foodstuffs or other articlesfrom the interior of the housing. The blower or fan 35 can be used insuch instances where the present invention is connected to an under-dashmodel the blower is not needed. A unit such as the present invention canbe installed as optional equipment during the initial manufacture of theautomobile or other vehicle, or else it can be readily installed inexisting vehicles as a convenient accessory. Ditferent types of mountingmeans may be necessary or utilized in order to adapt the unit todifierent locations or vehicles. The device may be made light in weightand of a rugged and compact construction so that it will be portable,and as shown in FIGURE 5 the device can be used so that its legsstraddle the hump 51 in the floor board whereby the base pieces 50 willrest solidly on the floor 52.

Although the invention described is fully capable of achieving theobjects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to beunderstood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferredembodiment of the invention and that it is not to be limited to thedetails of construction herein described other than as defined in theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

In combination with a vehicle having an air conditioning unit, arefrigerator comprising a hollow housing mounted in said vehicle, saidhousing including spaced parallel horizontally disposed top and bottomportions,

said housing further including spaced parallel vertically 25 disposedside wall members and spaced parallel vertically disposed end Wallmembers, said housing including inner 5 and outer spaced apart casingshaving insulation therebetween, the top portion of said housingincluding a stationary section and a hingedly mounted movable section, asupport member connected to said stationary section and said supportmember having a filter arranged adjacent the lower end thereof, saidsupport member including a reduced diameter upper end portion, aflexible tube having one end connected to said reduced diameter upperend portion, the other end of said tube being connected to said airconditioning unit, a motor driven fan mounted in said support memberabove said filter, a sleeve rotatably connected to said movable sectionof said top portion and said sleeve including an inclined upper portion,a plurality of spaced parallel louvers mounted in the upper portion ofsaid sleeve, certain of said well members having spaced paralleldownwardly inclined slots therein which define louvered sections,movable closures mounted for movement into and out of opened and closedrelation with respect to said louvered sections, brackets mounted insaid 20 housing, and reticulated shelves supported on said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

